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Sidestep: Tongaporutu
Many have seen the photos of this site which has long collapsed as much of this coastline is doing over time. They were in a seacave a short distance south of the mouth of the Tongaporutu river, 50 miles from New Plymouth. The cliffs are very high and are made of a rather soft sandstone. Here and there, marine erosion has given rise to tunnels and narrow caves. But what else was once there in the past that time and tide has taken we will never know. But the cave markings in this seaside cave were unique to the area and most definately non-Maori
The inscriptions comprise of a band on each wall of the cave, about four feet in width. The total length of each inscribed area is about seventeen feet, but there is evidence of erosion of still more at the seaward ends. Erosion has, undoubtedly, obliterated part of the inscriptions at a lower level. The inscriptions represent human footprints, for the most part vertical or nearly so, the majority having the toes pointing upward. Some were etched with the sole of the foot depressed, but the majority are simply outlines by scratched lines. One can, with a sharp stone, make a fair copy of one of the footmarks in less than a minute, using a gouging action to mark the toes.
From the diagrams it can be seen that the toes number mainly six, five, or four. It is interesting to record that Rauparaha was reputed to possess six toes. Altogether eight of the feet are represented with six toes, some of the largest inscriptions having this peculiarity. They occur more or less at the same level, and, for what that is worth, are mostly of the left foot. The more normal five-toed foot occurs, omitting indefinite inscriptions, 32 times, at different levels. At least four of these have the peculiarity of a splayed big toe. In the case of the four-toed foot, of which there are at least 27. here there seems to be a definite evidence of grouping, as well as, in many cases, lack of finish, the heel frequently being uncompleted. The three-toed foot, complete or incomplete, occurs about 13 times, and is usually much smaller than those with more toes. In addition to all the above, there occur a number of other inscriptions, some meaningless, others needing little imagination to identify them. Thus, on the west wall are to be seen two definite representations of the human figure, while others of the same character have apparently been started but left unfinished. In 1939 they were they failed to locate any old Maori people who can throw light on the history of the Tonga-porutu cave.
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What is most interesting is that they are not the only examples of these type of carvings. There was slab that was 'retrieved' from an unnamed pa up the Mohakatina river. It has the same inscriptions. Most likely this was a pa that belonged to the first inhabitants before Maori inhabited it and was kept as some sort of holy object (in that the symbols would be unusual and therefore tapu to them). This slab now resides at the Auckland Museum according to the article from 1939 when this photo was taken. However, it does not seem appear in their collections...or that of Te Papa. So what became of it? (!)
What about the location, Tongaporutu. Tonga normally means south but its original meaning was secret or suppressed. Porutu means to splash with the hands (or feet). Could this cave have been a place the ancient saw as sacred were they splashed their feet in the water performing some ancient ceremony? Who knows
And here are some other carvings from elsewhere in NZ. This collection is just 8 miles up the coast at Mokau in another sea cave.
We have said before that the Melanesians made it to NZ long before Polynesians and that is why Melanesian features still present themselves among those who are part-Maori. That also includes Australia and there are old stories of a description of some living here with similar appearances. Why we suggest that is the below picture is of aboriginal design and exists in Australia. It is all conjecture but interesting none the less.
